Keeping up with trendy drinks can be tough, but now that you’re in a university town, keeping up with trends is kind of your duty now. So, here’s one that you may not be aware of that’s been bubbling up for a while. Just what is all this bubble or boba tea about?
You may have seen it at Asian restaurants and not known what to make of it. It’s a Taiwanese tea drink, and while it doesn’t exactly have bubbles, it often has a frothy, foamy topping. The boba refers to tiny black balls made from tapioca that are in the bottom of the drink. The drink is usually made from tea, milk and flavoring, although there can be many variations of this, including fruit, chocolate, coffee and/or honey.
Unfortunately, most boba teas are loaded with calories and carbs, so drink sparingly if weight gain is a concern.
Athens has had a few café start-ups to offer boba tea, but most haven’t lasted. The most recent effort came from Bubbles Tea and Juice Co. of Columbus, which had planned to open a location on Court Street this past March. The COVID-19 pandemic apparently delayed those plans.